List of High Commissioners of the United Kingdom for Malaya

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In 1896, the post of High Commissioner for the Federated Malay States was created; the High Commissioner represented the British Government in the Federated Malay States, a federation of four British protected states in Malaya. The High Commissioner's official residence was King's House (now part of a hotel, Carcosa Seri Negara), located inside the Perdana Lake Gardens in Kuala Lumpur, then the capital of the Federated Malay States. King's House served as an important place for royal dignitaries and distinguished guests.

The Governor of the Straits Settlements had always been ex-officio the High Commissioner for the Federated Malay States; the Governor's official residence was in Singapore, the capital of the Straits Settlements, and was known as Government House (now Istana, the official residence of the President of Singapore).

In each of the five protected states of Perlis, Kedah, Kelantan, Trengganu, and Johore (usually collectively referred to as the 'Unfederated Malay States'), the British government is represented by an Adviser: the Adviser to the Government of Perlis; the Adviser to the Sultan of Kedah; the Adviser to the Government of Kelantan; the Adviser, Trengganu; and the General Adviser to the Government of Johore.

The Straits Settlements was dissolved in 1946. Singapore became a Crown colony in its own right. The rest of the Straits Settlements (i.e. Penang and Malacca) was merged with the Federated Malay States, Perlis, Kedah, Kelantan, Terengganu, and Johore to form the Malayan Union, another Crown colony. The native rulers in the Federated Malay States, Perlis, Kedah, Kelantan, Trengganu, and Johore ceded their power to the United Kingdom, thus turning these territories into British colonies. The new Crown colony of the Malayan Union was headed by a Governor – the Governor of the Malayan Union.

In 1948, the British government returned power to the native rulers of the former protected states, and the Malayan Union was transformed into the Federation of Malaya – a federation of protected states and Crown colonies (Penang and Malacca had remained Crown colonies throughout the Malayan Union era). The Federation of Malaya was headed by the High Commissioner for Malaya.

When Malaya gained independence from the United Kingdom, the position of the High Commissioner for Malaya as the de facto head of state was replaced by the Paramount Ruler, or the Yang Di-Pertuan Agong, of Malaya, appointed by the rulers of the nine Malay states. The title 'High Commissioner' became that of the senior British diplomat in the independent Malaya (and later in Malaysia), as is normal in Commonwealth countries.

List of High Commissioners and Governors of the United Kingdom for Malaya

Flag of Malaya (1896-1950).svg Federated Malay States, Flag of Malaya (1896-1950).svg Malayan Union, Flag of Malaya.svg Federation of Malaya Flag of the United Kingdom.svg
PortraitNameTenure
FromUntil
Flag of Malaya (1896-1950).svg High Commissioner for theFederated Malay States (1896–1946) Flag of the United Kingdom.svg
1 Charles Mitchell.jpg Lieutenant-Colonel Sir Charles Bullen Hugh Mitchell 18967 December 1899
2 James Alexander Swettenham.jpg James Alexander Swettenham 8 December 189918 February 1901
3 GovernorSwettenham.jpg Sir Frank Athelstane Swettenham 26 September 190112 October 1903
4 Sir john anderson.gif Sir John Anderson 15 April 19049 April 1911
5 Sir Arthur Henderson Young.png Sir Arthur Henderson Young 9 September 191124 August 1920
6 Sir Laurence Guillemard.png Sir Laurence Nunns Guillemard 3 February 19205 May 1927
7 Hugh Charles Clifford (The Straits Times, 15 October 1929).jpg Sir Hugh Charles Clifford 3 June 192720 October 1930
8 SirCecilClementi.jpg Sir Cecil Clementi 5 February 193016 February 1934
9 Sir Thomas Shenton Whitelegge Thomas.png Sir Shenton Whitelegge Thomas 9 November 193415 August 1945
Flag of Japan (1870-1999).svg Japanese occupation of Malaya War flag of the Imperial Japanese Army (1868-1945).svg

From 31 January 1942 to 15 August 1945.

Flag of the United Kingdom.svg British Military Administration (15 August 1945 – 30 March 1946) Flag of the United Kingdom.svg
Flag of Malaya (1896-1950).svg Governor of theMalayan Union (1946–1948) Flag of the United Kingdom.svg
10 Sir edward gent.jpg Sir Gerard Edward James Gent 1 April 194630 January 1948
Flag of Malaya.svg High Commissioner forMalaya (1948–1957) Flag of the United Kingdom.svg
11 Sir edward gent.jpg Sir Gerard Edward James Gent 1 February 19484 July 1948
12 Sir Henry Gurney.gif Sir Henry Lowell Goldsworthy Gurney 1 October 19486 October 1951
13 Sir gerald templer.gif General Sir Gerald Walter Robert Templer 15 January 195231 May 1954
14 Royal Coat of Arms of the United Kingdom.svg Sir Donald Charles MacGillivray 31 May 195431 August 1957

See also

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